Explanation
This ordinance authorizes an increase in sewer rates effective January 1, 2022 for the Division of Sewerage and Drainage and to amend Chapter 1147 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
The proposed rate configuration for 2022 recognizes that water and sewer charges disproportionately affect lower income groups. The Department of Public Utilities will continue the Low Income Discount Program that discounts participant's sewer commodity portion of their sewer bill by 20%.
Requested adjustments in rates result in a typical inside city residential sewer rate increase of 5%. When a water increase of 4% and a 3% increase in stormwater rates are considered, the overall impact on a typical residential customer's bill in the City of Columbus is 4.49%, and for a typical outside city residential customer, the overall bill impact is 4.52%. Low Income Discount participant's overall bill impact is 4.48%. Outside city customers are not charged stormwater fees. Considering the 2022 rates increases for water, sewer, and storm combined -- based on average household water use of 30 ccf's per quarter, City of Columbus residents are estimated to see their total bill increase $13.60 per quarter, or $54.40 per year.
In 2005, in accordance with Ordinance No.1904-2005, passed November 28, 2005, Council created a Clean River Fee to recover costs of construction of projects necessary to meet the requirements of the two consent orders that mandate elimination of wet weather flow from Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows. This charge was assessed based on each property's measured impervious surface area. Since 2005, Council has approved across-the-board rate increases, including the Clean River Fee. The Department of Public Utilities, with approval of the Sewer and Water Advisory Board (SWAB), recommends that the Clean River Fee again be increased with an across-the-board rate increase of 5% to continue to allow wet weather construction projects to be paid for...
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